


Death of a Medic

by MisterStalker, tiny_freakin_head



Series: Classics [7]
Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Anal Sex, Death, Hurt/Comfort, Japanese internment camp, M/M, Racism, Sex, Stabbing, Yakuza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2020-07-28 00:36:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20055157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MisterStalker/pseuds/MisterStalker, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiny_freakin_head/pseuds/tiny_freakin_head
Summary: the death of their teammate and the reunion years later*there are lots of things wrong with this, ...like the fact that Katsu's suddenly a virgin again and we never actually finished the ending... but it's a fun read anyway.





	Death of a Medic

Barnaby left the engineer behind at a hardware supplies store, and left Katsu at a pharmacy. For a fast man like a scout, these slow errands were terrible. Sitting at the base was also terrible. This entire situation was terrible. He saw Katsu exit the pharmacy and started to approach him for company, but saw another man approach him first.

A slim Japanese man in a suit seemed to come from the shadow and intersect Katsu's path. "Excuse me, please. Can you help me?" The man asked in Japanese. He was holding a map and looked hopefully at the Medic.

Katsu smiled to hear someone speaking Japanese. And knowing how dangerous America was for them lately, it was so good to see another Japanese person. “Of course,” he stepped closer, looking at the map. After a few seconds, his eyes were drawn to the beautiful tattoos curling across the man’s fingers. His blood ran cold. What were the chances of him running into a yakuza here?

The man nodded so deeply he almost bowed, with a disarming smile. And he stepped up and held up the map. At this position his sleeve moved and his intense tattoos were visible, especially to a person who is familiar with them. A knife was ready in his other hand, but he wanted to see the expression on Katsu's face first. He plunged the knife into Katsu's side and he twisted it, violently cutting through the tissue. "You abandoned the Yamaguchi family and betrayed your boss. You should do this yourself for honour, but I am happy to finish the job."

Barnaby could see nothing behind the open map. It hid the view of the two men perfectly. He laughed to himself and wondered if Katsu knew any of the locations on the map, or if he was only polite.

Katsu took a sharp intake of breath, he had been stabbed plenty before, but always with respawn, with his medigun, with a safety net to fall into. He went pale and still, clutching at the knife still twisted in his side. He tried to grab the man’s wrist, not even sure what for, to keep him there, to try and kill the man, or maybe just so he wouldn’t fall to his knees.

The assassin shrugged the clamoring hand off and continued to maim the medic from the inside- great amounts of damage and destruction despite the single clean entry.

Scout saw Katsu drop his bag of supplies and although he couldn't see the medic grab the other man, he could see the medic's knees nearly buckle. "Hello, old sport, what's happening there!?" He immediately shouted out.

The assassin looked up past the map and was surprised to see someone approaching them. He immediately pulled his knife free and tucked his hand into his coat. He folded his map under his arm and turned to quickly leave.

Katsu immediately fell, first to his knees, then down onto his hand, still holding his wound. It looked small, just a single puncture, but he could tell the damage was bad. Blood pumped out over his fingers and down his side. He looked to Scout but no words would come out.

When the map fell, Barnaby saw Katsu's white skin and stunned face. He ran to him, leaping completely over the front of a car that turned down a path in between them. He was almost fast enough to catch his team mate before he fell. He held Katsu's head and lowered him to the ground. Barnaby even took the satchel from his back and put Katsu's head on that, knowing the man to be uncomfortable with unclean things. "Bloody hell, bloody hell. What was all that about then?" He slapped Katsu's cheek gently, "Katsu? Look at me, chap, all right?" He grabbed Katsu's hand and found it to be nearly slimy with the amount of fresh blood. "What do I do? Do I take you to the hospital?"

Katsu was grateful to Scout for catching him, but fought his hand free so he could keep pressure on his injury, trying to slow the blood. The hospital. That was likely his only chance, but somewhere like that, he’d be snapped up and sent to an internment camp. “No, no hospital,” he managed, his voice shaky. “Let’s get back to the team.” Without the technology they were used to, Katsu knew survival would be a close thing, but he wanted to be with his team more than anything.

Scout scrambled to pick up his radio and call Connagher, "Blu Bull! Come in Blu Bull, this is Road Runner. We've an emergency on our hands. Red Crest down. We're taking him back to base. Over!"

Conagher answered almost immediately, dropping his supplies to answer his radio. “Road Runner! Is he okay? Over!” He collected his things, paid and hurried outside to his teammates.

Barnaby stood up, "He's at the pharmacy. Road Runner, out." He put the radio on his side and began to run. It was like something of instinct, to run and catch the person who did this. He wasn't at Mann Co. anymore and he felt almost lost and confused. Did he need to stay with the medic? He couldn't, he truly could not be still and patient in a moment like this. He needed to run. He ran down alleys and streets and boulevards and realized he was on the trail after the Japanese man when he began to notice people staring cautiously in one direction. Spy might be proud of him for noticing his surroundings this time. He went in that direction and found the Japanese man quickly now. "Oi, you chav, where are you going?!" The assassin turned on his heels in surprise then began to run, but he was simply no contest for the Scout. Barnaby tackled him to the ground and wrestled him down with one hand while he signaled Connagher, "Blu Bull, is Red Crest with you? I've an enemy right here wif me, if you've room for one more in your truck."

Conagher was at Katsu’s side as fast as he could run -nowhere near Barnaby’s speed. He grabbed the Medic’s things, carrying them with his own supplies, before helping the small man off the bloody sidewalk, as carefully as he could manage. He couldn’t reach his radio with his arms so full but it sounded like the Scout had the right idea. He headed back to the truck, Katsu’s arm over his shoulder. Katsu stumbled back to the truck with Conagher’s help, nodding when asked if he was alright. He wasn’t sure it was true, but it was all he could manage right now. Finally able to answer his radio, Conagher called back to Barnaby. “I’ve got Red Crest, we’re at the truck, bring the enemy.” Surely the others back on base would have some questions for him.

Barnaby was pleased to find how easily he walked the Japanese man down the main road of the town. Katsu told him that Japanese people were hated now, and that they weren't valued as citizens, but he was surprised how true it was that no one questioned his intentions with the Japanese man. The scout pushed the assassin to the truck and motioned, "Get in then." The currently unarmed gangster backed up and watched him warily. Scout rubbed his face, "Bloody hell. Get! In! Katsu, can you tell him?"

The assassin turned his head and realized the scout was talking to Katsu. Although certainly dying, Katsu was not dead yet. He eventually understood the scout's gestures and boarded the truck, sitting in the open back. Scout hopped into the truck and slapped the metal side to signal to Connagher to move.

Conagher started the truck and headed back to base, driving as fast as he dared with an injured man in the vehicle. “Barnaby, radio the base, let them know we’re coming and what happened.”

Scout spoke to the Radio, "Boss! Boss! This is Road Runner, en route to base. Red Crest is injured, he says no hospitals, we've need to treat him on base!" He shouted at the glass back of the truck, "You sure, no hospitals, ol' chap? We can get you there in a skip and a jump!" He spoke to the radio again "Some bloody Jap went and stabbed our boy. I've the fool with us here now. Over."

Conagher looked over at Katsu in the seat next to his. He was pale, holding his side with one hand, clutching his seat with the other. He repeated what Barnaby had asked. “No hospital?”

Katsu gritted his teeth, shaking his head. He felt dizzy, nauseous. He wished they’d stop talking to him. “They might not even treat me,” he reminded his teammates.

The radio crackled back on and Marcus’ voice came through. He was still not used to his new code name, but used it anyway. “Boss here, is Red Crest alright? Over.” 

Barnaby tugged nervously on the strap of his hat, "He looks quite ill, Boss. It doesn't look good." 

Marcus turned off the radio and jogged down the hall to their makeshift infirmary, where Greg was keeping an injured Spy company. “Greg, drag another bed in here. Katsu’s hurt, they’re driving back to base now.”

Spy put down the card game he challenged Greg with. He was stunned by what he heard. The information was almost too dizzying for him to process. Away from respawn, the fear of death that was absent for so long was now consuming. As Greg left to get a bed, Spy moved around the infirmary to put gauze and tape and supplies on a small wheel-table. Spy didn't expect Katsu to operate on himself, but if he needed anything, the team was ready to help.

Spy took his own radio when he collected all of the supplies, "Roadrunner, who is this attacker? Is this a spy or some other mercenary class? Over." 

Barnaby shrugged, "I haven't the slightest. I hoped if he's alive, one of you can get some answers from him. Over."

Marcus made his way to the entrance of their little base. If anyone could carry Katsu it’d be him. He was terrified of what he’d find when they pulled up. What if Katsu wasn’t able to survive this? He pushed that thought away. It wasn’t useful right now.

Barnaby looked up at the assassin at that moment and realized the Japanese man was speaking to Katsu. He was yelling something in Japanese, although Barnaby didn't know what. "Will you protect your new loyalties and die, Katsu? If you don't, you know Yamaguchi will send more people like me. They will find you, and not care if your friends are hurt." He threatened. 

Although Barnaby didn't understand the words, he saw the hate in his face. "Oh shut up, bloody Chav!" He kicked the man in the jaw- a motion that slammed his head so hard on the truck that he was immediately unconscious. The Scout hurriedly checked to be sure he had a pulse, alive as the spy requested. Then he put his head through the back window, "Hey Katsu, was that chump giving you trouble? We're here for you, don't you worry."

Katsu’s face was drawn. His team would never be safe again if he survived this. The yakuza would never stop, especially now they clearly knew where he was. They pulled up at the base, Conagher parking so Katsu’s door was nearest to the front door. Less walking seemed better. Marcus was waiting at the door and stepped up to open Katsu’s door for him, helping the small man out and into his arms. “I gotcha,” He spared a quick glance for his other two teammates. “You’re both alright?” He spotted the would be assassin and his lip curled into a snarl.

Scout jumped from the truck and let Connagher help him move the assassin, "Yessir, right as rain! Whoever this Chav is, he had no interest in us." Katsu looked smaller and weaker in Marcus's arms. Barnaby forced a smile, "Katsu, take care of yourself. I'll be along to check on you after we put this man somewhere secure."

Scout’s unfailing optimism got a weak smile from their doctor, before he was taken inside and carried to the infirmary. Greg had already set up a bed and Spy had gathered all his tools. Katsu groaned with relief when he was set down on the soft bed, grateful to be somewhere soft and not bouncing about in a truck.

Spy was somewhat mobile, in Katsu's wheeling chair. He carefully helped Katsu open his clothes, "You were stabbed?" He looked up at Marcus with a hopeful smile, "We can manage this here. People survive stab wounds. Even I rarely kill a man with one stab." He hid his fear for how much blood he saw. He held Katsu's hand. "I'll take care of everything here. You find some useful information about this failed assassin Scout captured."

Marcus nodded, squeezing Katsu’s shoulder gently before heading back to the truck to help Barnaby drag in Katsu’s attacker. It was tempting just to break the man in half, snap his spine, break his neck... but he collected himself and just helped Barnaby drag him into the basement and tie him up. Katsu’s breaths were shallow, but he was willing to let Spy take care of him, letting himself believe Spy’s hopeful prediction.

Many felt the weight of fear holding their words down and suffocating the base in silence- except Scout. Barnaby didn't calm himself with silence, he calmed himself with being fast. His mouth ran while he carried the attacker with Marcus. He stopped thinking, and simply spoke. He was something like white-noise now, talking just to fill the silence. After the man was tied up, Scout finally said something with a purpose. "I say, Boss, if our spy is in the infirmary, who is going to interrogate this chav? I'll admit, I don't know the first thing about torture."

“If I do it he won’t last ten minutes,” Marcus agreed. “Let’s get Bea in here.” He knew her well enough to know she could get blood from a stone.

Scout fumbled and made a salute, "I can find Bea. I'll have her back here in no time flat!" He turned and ran out of the room and raced along the halls until he smelled smoke. He skidded to a stop in a doorway, "Bea! It looks like we need your expertise." Barnaby looked at the burnt matches then specified, "Well, one of your expertise... Not fire so much as, how you..." He grinned, a little bashful to say it, and a little amused to talk about it, "how you get a kick out of hurting people."

Bea looked up from playing with matches, smiling as Scout stumbled over his words. She stood to follow him. “What’s going on, Barnaby?”

Scout laughed nervously, "Right, well, er, all right then, ahem- the Jap who hurt Katsu. We need to get some information out of him, right? But Spy is in the infirmary, if you don't mind it, would you might torturing someone for us?"

Bea frowned, she hadn’t had her radio on her so knew nothing about Katsu being injured. “Course I don’t mind. Is Katsu alright?” she asked as she followed the Scout back to the basement. “And... does this jap even speak english?” That’d be a bit of a kink in their plan.

Scout was glad to have Bea on board, "Smashing." But as she made questions, he shrugged, "Perhaps if you hit him hard enough he'll find a bit of English somewhere in his vocabulary." answering her questions about Katsu was harder. "He looks pretty ill. He was stabbed and it is quite messy. I don't think i've seen so much blood when our Spy stabbed an enemy. Katsu refused the hospital though, so maybe he knows how to fix it himself?"

The Yakuza gangster groaned through a dry throat and slowly came to wake up. He muttered to himself in his home language and he looked around the room with scowling, squinting eyes. He found Marcus and sized the man up. Marcus was, without question, the largest man the gangster ever saw in his life. The man was like a statue carved from stone. The heat and anger that surrounded the giant reminded the gangster of a Red-Oni made into a human.

Bea and Scout came in. Both of them were far less intimidating than Marcus. “Barnaby, pet, there’s a wooden box under my bed, would you run and grab it?” In their hurry she’d forgotten she’d likely need a few tools. Though there were a few things in the basement she could use too. “So this is the piece of shit that stabbed Katsu,” she remarked, putting a hand on Marcus’ arm. He was livid, she could tell just by how stiffly he held himself, the vein in his forehead pulsing.

Scout nodded and was off running again. He was grateful for every opportunity to run on an errand. Expelling all of this energy was the only thing keeping him sane at this moment. He wasn't sure how to cope with what was happening, if he let it catch up to him. The gangster, Yusuke, snorted derisively and spit blood and drool onto the floor as Scout left. He knew the man was fast, and had a strong kick, but he considered himself tough also. With mental preparation, he was not allowing himself to be afraid of the large man, the skinny man, and least of all the stout woman.

Bea checked the knots of the ropes holding the gangster, making sure they were nice and tight, not likely to give out. She took a few things off the basement wall. Conagher kept some of his tools down here, leaving her with an electric drill, some pliers and a few hammers. Certainly good enough to start. “Marcus, you okay?” he was so still and angry, she hadn’t seen him this way for awhile.

Marcus grimaced, but nodded. He could contain himself, let Bea do her work rather than just ripping the gangster apart, like he wanted.

Yusuke knew he could not intimidate the two. He was entirely bound and with no chance of escape. He knew he might die on this job, he knew it was a dangerous time to come to America. But he came to fulfill a duty, and he did it. He knew he finished his job, there was no possibility Katsu can survive. So he resigned himself, he was ready to be murdered by these people... Yet, he felt some fear as he saw the tools Bea handled. He feared that when they killed him, they wanted to make it as painful as possible. Scout returned again with Bea's box. The sturdy build of it and the weight of it intimidated him. He knew a little bit about the things Bea and Marcus did together, and he wondered if that is what was in the box. But he also knew a little bit about the far darker things Bea did to herself. He knew she burned her own skin and played with chemicals and sometimes let herself burn up entirely and respawn. Maybe the box was for Bea's own personal actions. He glanced at Marcus, curious of his reaction to the box as he presented it to Bea. "Here you are, doll. You don't mind if I watch a moment or so, do you?"

Marcus was somewhere between curious and fearful when it came to what Bea kept under her bed. Some of it they used together, some of it she used with Katsu, and the rest was a mystery to him. Bea nodded, “Stay as long as you like.” As was customary for her at the start of torturing someone, she took a pair of pliers, forced the man’s mouth open and forcefully pulled out a tooth. She set it aside. She’d keep it.

Yusuke wore his best scowl, snarling at the woman but then all at once fearful when he saw that her face did not show a need for revenge, or any anger. She said nothing at all to demand information from him- she simply took his tooth the way a doctor washes his hands before surgery. His blood became cold. He saw things like this before from very brutal members of the Yakuza who simply killed and harmed for the personal pleasure of brutality.

Scout kept himself quiet but he covered his eyes to hide some of the gruesome view. Hiding his eyes did not stop the sick sounds of the tooth coming free, or the panicked screams of pain from Yusuke. When he looked again, he saw fresh blood pouring down Yusuke's chin and staining his white shirt.

Bea turned back to him, chuckling. “You don’t have to stay, pet,” she assured him. Marcus, on the other hand, watched stoically, somewhat more used to torture than Barnaby. Bea wasn’t planning on asking any questions for a little while. Let him suffer for a time and see that they had no problem keeping him alive and in constant pain.

Barnaby looked to Bea, realizing now that she saw his responses. "Right, well, it looks like you have this well under control. I'll just- oh, I forgot I left the kettle on! Yes, I'll go get that!" He made some attempt to smile cheerily, some glimpse of his persona that was ever-optimistic and in high spirits. But in the view of the bloodied prisoner he managed only a grimace before he retreated.

Bea lifted a knife from her wooden box, flicking the blade out of the handle and starting to cut off the man’s clothes. They’d only get in the way, and being naked was a surprisingly powerful persuader, especially in a cold basement.

Yusuke's muscles flinched as Bea cut the clothing away. His body was covered in rich coloured tattoos. An elegant red crested heron posed on his chest. The bird was stained now with blood leaking down from his mouth. Every flinch of his muscles made the bird tremor like a living view of trees, flowers, the bleeding heron in the center.

The pliers were back in her hands in an instant and his fingernails were her next target. And they came out with surprising ease. Bea let them fall to the floor, still silent, no questions for him.

The gangster endured the pain for longer than he thought possible. Finally, while screaming, his vision became blurry and his head became heavy. He was so close to losing consciousness from the pain. So near the edge. He waited to embrace it gladly and go into death with something like a drug. But instead his vision cleared. His tormentor withdrew and his focus slowly returned to his mind. When he was coherent and fully aware of his pain again, she approached him. The horror of it caused him to spasm so strongly, he nearly turned the chair over. He thrashed against the ropes and then screamed in english, "Stop! Stop! Stop, mad woman, stop!" He breathed quickly, "What do you want? Why I kill Katsu? Why I come here to kill him? How I find him? I will tell you everything!"

Bea smiled, that hadn’t been as long as she’d hoped, but their goal was in sight. “Tell us all about it,” she encouraged, wiping her blood spattered hands on her dress.

Yusuke sighed in relief, "Katsu is a member of Yamaguchi-gama crime family, of the Yakuza. The family takes care of him, makes him a good doctor, and then when our family head needs a doctor, Katsu kills him. The son of Yamaguchi-sama demands to repay that debt. The Yakuza does not ever forgive a crime like that. It is my duty to punish him for what he did." He took another deep breath to be more calm now. He was less panicked now- recentered and focused again on why he was here. "The Yakuza hunts him for 20 years. And then, an old woman tells us everything. She tells us where to find him, what he looks like, all of his history for 20 years." he grins with a gross smile of broken teeth, "Did he betray his new boss?"

“Our boss betrayed us,” Bea spat, looking to Marcus. “Will they send more of you?”

Yusuke nods, "Yes. Until Katsu is dead and the Yamaguchi-gama family has revenge. Our leader will send more."

“And how will they know he’s dead if you’re never going to leave this room?”

Yusuke nods again, resolutely, "Good, you are thinking. Let me leave and I will tell them he is dead. And you will never see the Yakuza again."

“You’re not going to leave,” Bea laughed. “We can easily disappear. Marcus, do we need anything else from him?” Marcus shrugged, then shook his head. “he’s all yours.” He stood to leave, not wanting to watch Bea torture this man to death.

*

In the infirmary, Spy looked over the wound. He could use some common sense, of course. He cleaned the area, and he put gauze on it, but he couldn't understand why there was so much blood. "Katsu." he spoke softly and gently, "I don't know what to do here. Give me some direction. I..." he looked over the wound again, unaware of the damage inside, "Shall I stitch you shut?"

Katsu gave Spy a reassuring smile. “Stitches should stop most of the bleeding, can you manage them?” He’d never seen Spy care for someone like this before, he had no idea if he had any experience. Stitches wouldn’t stop the internal bleeding, but there was nothing they could do about that.

Spy nodded, "I'm out of practice. The last time I attended my own wounds, oh it must be decades past. It's nothing like your work, but I can manage." He speaks out loud and looks at Katsu, to be sure he doesn't make a mistake. "I have an anesthetic here, and I'll inject this around this area.... and sterilize a needle and thread... and pinch the skin shut...." His voice is calm, but a certainly less calm statement escapes, "There's so much blood, I almost can't see."

Katsu’s smile tightened into pain, though Spy made the injection quick and almost painless. There was a lot of blood and they tried to swab most of it away but soon enough there was the same amount. Katsu’s stomach seemed to flip and he nearly threw up. He struggled to keep still as Spy stitched him up, grabbing handfuls of the sheets.

The evident pain that Katsu felt made Spy nervous. He stitched the skin shut and when it was fully closed the amount of blood decreased. Of course now, the blood simply pooled inside of Katsu rather than out of the wound. To Spy's eyes it looked better though. He cleaned up the blood on Katsu's skin again, "I think that you can rest now. Maybe. If you sleep, you won't go into a coma or some such, will you?"

Katsu nodded, then really processed what Spy had said and shook his head instead. “I just need to rest.” He laid back on the mattress and closed his eyes, relieved to be done with the stitching.

*

The spy was not able to calm down at all. He knew his team was interrogating the attacker, but he was not a part of it. He sighed heavily again and adjusted in his bed. He tried to distract himself with cards and he glanced at Katsu sometimes. Spy was relieved when Katsu began to move again. He eagerly sat up and stepped to the floor and carefully came to Katsu's side. The man's skin was white and cold, but he held his hand and asked with hope, "Do you feel better?"

Katsu ignored the question. He felt weak, his vision was tunneling. He was having trouble focusing on anything but Spy. He squeezed his friend’s hand. For some reason his focus narrowed onto Spy’s bandages; it was easier to fall back into his role as a Medic than to think about his own condition. “You should change your bandages soon,” his voice was soft.

Spy frowned at his own bandages. The medic was likely correct, but changing bandages wasn't what he wanted to be doing. He picked up some bandages but he only toyed with the materials rather than opening them. "Perhaps we can call the others on the radio. We can ask what they got from him already. Maybe you have something you want to know also?"

He shook his head, “Spy, I- would you take care of Marcus? He’s terrible at taking care of himself.” It was strange, but of all the team he was worried most about Marcus and how he’d take the loss of his teammate. They’d been so close for so many years, taking care of each other. Katsu felt cold, except where he’d been stabbed, which felt burning hot. He was sure now that he wouldn’t make it.

Spy raised an eyebrow. He interpreted the question to mean something about that moment, while Katsu recovered. But the brow lowered and his lips sank as he realized Katsu meant something long-term. He assured his friend, "You know I will protect anyone on our team. But we need you, Katsu. You're our medic. You can't say goodbye yet."

“Keep the team together,” he insisted. Everything was fading out, sound, light, sensation. He had to focus hard to keep breathing, but soon enough he had nothing left.

Spy gripped Katsu's hand harder, "Stop! You can't say you goodbye yet, we still need you! We need to keep the team together, you said that!" He grasped the radio and called out, "All hands! We need to take Red Crest to the hospital! Now!"

After a pause Scout answered back, "I believe he requested no hospitals. Over."

Spy answered louder, "He needs a hospital! We need a doctor!"

Spy dropped the radio and held Katsu's cheek, "Katsu! Katsu, keep talking!" His mind raced, he tried to engage the man's ‘instinct’ as a medic. "How do I take care of Marcus? Tell me! My- My bandages! Tell me what to do! Wake up and tell me what to do again, you bossy runt. You love telling us what to do, don't you?" He paused, waiting for a response, "Don't you? ... Katsu?"

Marcus was in within a minute after hearing Spy’s plea on the radio. He went to Katsu’s other side and he could see the man was dead. They’d all seen enough death to recognize it, but Spy was still talking to him, still trying to force a response. Marcus froze up, feeling completely out of his depth. When was the last time they’d dealt with death- real death?

Spy looked up at Marcus. He was almost dizzy at how the knot in his throat choked his breath and words. "Help me move him." He strained to get the words out. "He needs a doctor."

Marcus shook his head. “Not anymore,” he was surprised at how even his voice was.

Spy tried not to believe it. For 20 years, if Katsu died, his body disappeared to respawn. He held the smaller hand in his own and told himself he had time. He opened his mouth to say something, to search for some answer to this, but words didn't come. After a horrible long minute of silence he spoke, "He's dead, isn't he."

Marcus nodded, not sure what he could say. What would they tell the team? What would they do without Katsu, their Medic, their friend? “Fuck,” he choked out.

The spy turned away from Katsu and dropped his hands to his sides. "His last words... He said..." He went quiet again and then pushed over the wheel table, throwing the supplies on it to the floor. He immediately grabbed his side and winced in pain. The spy sat down and grimaced, "He was thinking about us more than himself. What does he think we will do without him?"

Marcus flinched as Spy pushed over the cart, frowning as Spy winced. “You should get in bed.” He’d forgotten, in the chaos, how injured Spy was. His immediate thought was they had to bury Katsu but part of him couldn’t stand the thought of it.

*

After the team collected all their things, they stood outside, grimly. The only things left were Katsu’s, including his body, and Yusuke , who was not quite dead. Bea finished pouring chemicals down the hallways and stood at the entrance, lighting a match and watching the fire blossom.

Scout removed his cap, "I suppose we might all say something." He glanced up and down the ranks. Everyone was speechless and he saw it on their faces. "Right well, erm..." He sucks in a breath and steps forward, "Katsu, my good man, you were as good as they come. A real team player. We owe our lives to you now, as much as we owed our lives to you every day since we started our work together... We'll see you on the other side, in that grand old respawn in the sky." He smiled weakly and stepped back.

Simo said nothing. He didn't think any words were expected from him. But he brought out a bottle of alcohol and passed it to Scout. Scout took a large gulp and shook his head to swallow it down then passed it along.

Conagher took the bottle off Scout, taking his own swig as he thought of what he wanted to say. “Katsu, I know we all butted heads sometimes, we were too stubborn not too. But you always fought your hardest to take care of us, no matter how stupid we were being.” He passed the bottle along.

The soldier took the bottle. He was a rough man, but he tried to make his words as sincere as what he felt. "We always knew we planned to die fighting. You're a mercenary, and brother in battle, we can all respect. You died fighting... You deserved a better opponent." He took a gulp and lifted the bottle high in salutations, and passed it along.

The spy took the bottle and contemplated his words. "Our team won't be the same without you, Katsu. To the man I never lost trust in, the man who kept your mate's secrets as carefully as he kept his own." He lifted the bottle and drank then passed it.

Demo took the bottle and shook his head, drinking and passing it along. He had too many words, too many thanks to give to their friend. He was sure they’d come out as a mess. He wiped his eyes once his hand was free.

Bea took the bottle and licked her lips. The only displays of emotion she was good at were anger. She struggled to come up with the right words for awhile, standing in silence with the bottle raised. “You should have taken better care of yourself,” she forced it out, drank deep, then passed to Marcus.

Marcus felt as though his words had to sum up everything Katsu was to the team, but his eyes were wet and all he wanted was to leave. “ You were the best Medic we could have gotten. From day one you were surprise after surprise, with your stubborn streak, your fearlessness, your- your friendship. We’re gonna miss you,” his voice had just started to break and after his drink, he threw the bottle into the fire, causing a burst of flame.

As the team went to silence simply to listen to the cracking fire and burning walls, the echo of a panicked and pained scream came through. Spy smiled in bitter satisfaction listening to Katsu’s assassin dying in the fire.

Inside, the flames licked at Katsu’s body, eating away at his clothes, his hair. Before too long his body vanished, not into the fire, but into Conagher’s old emergency back up respawn.

*

Spy had to admit that this might be useless. It was possible there was nothing to find. He was on a long trail already, following either Katsu, or the most useless Japanese spy ever (a camp record indicated a late arrival, a Japanese man alone in New Mexico with no name, no home, and no job and apparently little skill to be discreet). The long trail lead to Japan, and now Spy thought of the saying: finding a needle in a haystack. 

There was little possibility that the spy could see Katsu before Katsu saw him. In this land of small, slim, dark haired and almond eyed natives, Spy was distinct. His blonde hair, round eyes and distinct features were clearly "gaijin". Besides that, he was much taller than anyone in the crowds. Still, he waited on a bench, outside of a building, patient and hopeful for a trace of Katsu in the crowds.

Katsu, young again, though some years older than when he’d first respawned, had started going through university again. He could hardly claim his degree was his own when he looked to be in his thirties and he’d gotten his degree almost thirty years ago. He had a ludicrous amount of money from his work as a mercenary. It had been easy enough to start anew here. The only telltale mark of his past was his small lip scar and the tattoos he kept carefully hidden. There was a very tall man waiting at the end of the mass of students, and Katsu’s first instinct was to go talk to him. He’d found he missed English sometimes, and missed his team even more. He did not recognize Spy until they were much closer, and he froze, causing a few people behind him to stop as well.

Falcon's head turned to the disruption in the flow, and at the head of it he saw Katsu. He was young and almost childlike- compared to when he last saw him. He started walking to him and wondered what to say first. 

_ You knew we could respawn?  _

_ You were alive all this time?  _

_ You came here? _

Rather than a question, however, all of these ideas caused the spy to close the distance and greet his friend with a hard punch against his cheek.

Katsu had stepped forward to greet him and his eyes went wide and he recoiled. “S-!” he realized suddenly that calling this man a spy in public was a suspicious thing to do. It was bad enough he’d just hit him. He switched to his code name, holding his cheek. “Falcon,” his English was surprisingly rusty. “I missed you too,” he said, wryly. He would have hugged the man if he hadn’t just been hit.

The spy's expression appeared angrier than he felt. He couldn't find words yet. He grabbed the front of Katsu's coat and pulled him into a tight hug. His arms squeezed him and his fingers held him hard and tight. It seemed like the spy never planned to let go. "Why didn't you come back to us? We thought you were dead!"

Katsu squeezed him back, starting to become aware of all the stares they were getting. “I-“ he sighed, so glad to see his teammate, his friend, again. “There were a few reasons, but I hated being away.”

Spy released Katsu enough to see the stares. Police might come if someone reported that he punched the smaller man. "Let's go somewhere else. Somewhere we can talk."

Katsu nodded, leading Spy to the small house he lived in alone. It wasn’t far from where he studied. “How is everyone?” he asked, almost shyly, not wanting to provoke Spy to hit him again. He shut the door behind them so they could have privacy.

Spy ducked through the doorway and almost walked into the home, he almost forgot to remove his boots. "They're well. Better than ever, maybe. All of us went through respawn." He gestured to himself and his youthful body. "The others don't know about you yet. They might suspect... But they don't know." He thought about the last few years, and that he knew where Katsu was for most of it. "Katsu, I'm so sorry, I had no idea. I didn't even think there was a chance, I never considered to look for you... Was it horrible? In that camp?"

Katsu pressed himself back into Spy’s arms. He’d tamped down all the feelings he’d had for his team, and the knowledge that he may never connect with anyone that way again, but now there was no way to keep the hurt in. In the same way that the team had grieved for him, he had grieved for the loss of them too. “I- I was lucky in many ways. I was never seriously injured, and I had no property to lose. Though it kept me from finding out what had happened to you and the others. There were thousands of us, living in barracks, guarded all the time. After it all, I wasn’t sure how to find you,” he admitted. “So I came home.”

Spy held Katsu again. There was so much to say and do during the reunion, but most of it was said in these warm touches. "Marcus made war on Mann Co. after you died. The administrator gave your dossier to the Yakuza and let them find you, so he entirely scrapped my plan to disappear, and decided we must have revenge. The team, every one of us, was glad to do it. If we knew you were living, I think we might have fought the entire American government to free you from those camps." Spy learned what the camps were like when he spoke to other freed prisoners, following his trail to find Katsu. He sighed heavily, "It isn't right that you were there."

“I’m glad the team stayed together.” It had been what he’d thought would be his last request. “I’m guessing you didn’t respawn from old age,” he was sure they’d all gone out fighting. He’d thought of them so often, wondering what they would do in what ought to have been their retirement.

The spy scoffed, "You saw us only 5 years ago, we weren't THAT old..." He shook his head and finally loosened his hold on Katsu enough to let the man free to move around, if he wanted it. "We conquered Mann. Co, but then we were a little carried away. Marcus made a plan to control the world's supply of Australium and have us all live forever. We died in that battle." He smiles wryly, "The plan was to never lose a teammate again..." he paused briefly, "He never really coped with your death. 5 years isn't enough time to grieve."

“That’s why I asked you to look after him and not anyone else.” Katsu couldn’t help but smile. He’d missed them all, so much. His eyes were watering and he turned away quickly to dab at them, sniffling. “Where are they all now?”

Spy tilted back his head and pretended to look around the small home as he blinked away tears, "Oh, the team, they're in America. Some of them are excited to do again everything they couldn't do in old bodies. It was a pretty big surprise to wake up young again. You know how-" He had to stop himself again. When the team woke up in respawn, some thought they found heaven. There was laughing, and joking, and kissing, and hugging. It was such a joyous thing to wait at the doors for the next teammate to come through, to equally hope they might be successful and to also hope for the person to return quickly. That night they drank and made trouble in Teufort with joy. But Katsu didn't experience any of that. He woke up alone, and then he was in a prison camp for years, unable to enjoy the freedom of his new body. He cleared his throat, and changed the subject. "All of us are young again, and Marcus wants us to go back to the fight. Some of us are thinking that this is our second chance, we can go and enjoy our lives now and not fight at all. We can't convince Marcus to release his grudge, however. But maybe if you come home..."

“Of course I’m coming back,” he said. Though he was sure it would be a shock for everyone, he wanted Marcus to stop trying to fight the world. Katsu had woken up alone, and in his efforts to get back to the base they’d just left- burned to ashes- he’d gotten thrown in an internment camp. He’d loved being younger for awhile, until it didn’t seem to matter. He couldn’t claim to be Katsu, a doctor, anymore. Even if he’d had any papers or credentials they were for a much older man. It had been a strange time for him. Once free, however, he’d taken another man’s identity and travelled home. The only thing he still had from his time with his team was money. No photos, not a thing to remember them by. Sometimes he’d almost convinced himself it was a delusion. It was hard to believe.

The spy smiled broadly, "I'm glad. When can we leave? Can you finish schooling in America? Is there anyone you need to say goodbye to?" He hesitated, "Is there... anyone you need to bring with us?"

Looking at the young man, it was easy to believe Katsu might have a lover or partner now. After surviving the camp, maybe he met someone there who could truly understand him, surviving such a horrible place.

But Spy hoped not. Selfishly. He hoped that Katsu did not move on and bring others into his heart while his team still held that place in their heart for him.

“We can leave tomorrow, I only have to pack.” And there wasn’t much to pack either. Katsu had never truly accepted that he had to live on, in many ways. He’d collected no things, no people, only gone to school as though to prepare himself to be a Medic again, knowing full well he might never become one. “I ... I’m not sure I’ll finish school,” he laughed. “I wanted to be a doctor again, but you all know I am a doctor.” He’d learned plenty of new things, certainly modern medicine had advanced since he’d gone to school, but he was fairly sure he wouldn’t be called to do much in the way of surgery anymore.

"New diploma or no, we all trust you with our lives." He chuckled, "They don't make doctors like they used to anymore."

*

Spy sat on the futon and studied the young medic's minimal belongings until the lights were off. He was glad the man offered to share his bed. After decades of being like family on the team surely it was okay to share a bed. But he also knew that the Medic was very private and distant regarding these things. Spy didn't assume they could share a bed until it was offered. 

He settled down when the lights went off and he listened to Katsu quietly slip into bed beside him. "Are you really able to sleep?" So much emotion was going through his mind, tired as he was, he was entirely awake without hope of sleeping.

"Not yet," Katsu agreed. It had been a day of high emotions, and he felt as though his mind wouldn't settle down. He was thinking of his teammates, of having a future with them again. As much as he'd missed Japan when he had left, he missed his team much more. "There is so much to think about. So much to prepare for."

Laying next to Spy brought up some old feelings. He couldn't help remember Spy's confession, that he fantasized about him. He lay still for awhile, caught between his old fears and his knowledge that even if Spy refused him, he would understand the attraction. Spy would never shun him for being interested in men. He was safe here. "Will you sleep?" he didn't want to keep the man awake with even more complications if he planned to sleep.

Spy shook his head, "No. Certainly not soon." His arm slightly touched Katsu's arm. Spy believed the man when he said he had no one to say goodbye to here. No family, no partner, no lover. More than that, the very simple living was clearly fit for only one person. The bed was narrow, the wardrobe was small. The table had only one place to sit. He somewhat worried that a man so seemingly confident in being alone might be quite uncomfortable sharing space so closely with the spy right now.

Katsu gathered himself and started talking. "You said something to me, and Simo, a long time ago, when we used to play our game. You shared one of your secrets." He could feel his heart racing and he willed himself to calm down. "You said you fantasized about me."

Spy turned his head, wishing he could read Katsu's expressions with more clarity. He answered simply, "Yes, I remember this." waiting for Katsu to explain why he was remembering it now.

"I wish I'd had the courage to tell you then that I felt the same," Katsu admitted. He'd found it far easier to hide his feelings, for Marcus, for Spy. It was easier to remain professional, to stay their Medic. Part of him felt guilty for thinking of two different men, as though it was a betrayal to a lover he didn't even have. He couldn't imagine how different life would have been if he'd become Spy's lover. Though, perhaps it would have made this time alone that much harder.

Spy processed this, but did not leave Katsu in silence for long. "For how long?"

Katsu laughed, with no small amount of bitterness. "Once we became close, once you trusted me enough to come to me when you needed to." That level of trust between them had meant the world to Katsu. He knew how suspicious, how rightfully paranoid, the Spy was. To trust a doctor to open his chest and give him a new heart. To trust him to fix his eye. To share his fears and worries with the Medic… It had meant more than he could express.

Spy rolled onto his side to watch Katsu's profile. He rested a hand on Katsu's thin shoulder, "But you didn't tell me. Were you afraid to tell me?" He ached for the man. The horrible loneliness that Katsu faced seemed like a nightmare to Spy, simply know about it.

"Yes." He was becoming emotional again, his chest tight. Spy's hand was warm and reassuring. He took a moment to breathe until his voice was steady. "It seems so foolish now, but I was afraid. Not of you," he wanted Spy to know he never feared that their trust would be broken. "I- I was afraid of wanting men at all. And now... now I get to do this over again, and I don't want to make the same mistake." Being in the yakuza, he'd seen how they treated queer men. They blackmailed them, held their love of men over their heads like a sword. But it had been a long time since then and Katsu was less afraid now.

Spy assured him, "You know our team will not see you as anything less... if you tell them." He was open with his sexuality for so long, but the choice was entirely due to Greg. Before arriving at Teufort he made peace with knowing it was not going to be a secret, so he refused to appear embarrassed at all. If Spy lacked Greg, it was possible that he might never let the team discover his attraction to men, for the same fear Katsu likely had. "Are you still afraid to have feelings for me?" But that was decades ago. Maybe his feelings changed? He tried not to embarrass the man, and offered, "Are you still afraid to have feelings for men?"

"A little. But I'm more afraid of regretting staying silent for the rest of my life," Katsu sighed. "I don't know if I'll tell the team, but I know it wouldn't change things." It wouldn't change things, but would their relationships ever really be the same after so long apart? Spy had clearly not moved on, and the way he spoke of the team, it sounded as though they hadn't either. It gave him hope that he could fall back into place in their lives, as their friend and their Medic. Where he belonged. 

Katsu assumed his continued attraction to Spy was obvious to the other man -Spy knew so much of what people were thinking it could be eerie. But perhaps they'd been apart too long for that to be true. "I still feel the same."

The spy's hand moved across Katsu's chest and up his neck to cup his jaw and turn his head. He brought their lips together, kissing gently and curiously. For how difficult it was for Katsu to speak, he hoped it might be easier for him to simply act.

Katsu leaned into Spy's touch, but at the press of his lips he tensed for a second, before relaxing into it. He wound an arm around Spy carefully, as though he wasn't sure where the boundaries were, and what he was allowed. He felt a rush of affection, and relief. Spy still felt something for him too.

Spy noticed the tensing, the careful relaxing, and the fumbling hand holding him. It was difficult to read his body. It was hard to know if the awkward movements were from lack of practice or from being nervous. He ended the kiss but was close. His nose touched Katsu's as he spoke. "Emotions are high, seeing each other again like this. We don't need to go too far tonight. We don't need to do anything you aren't ready for."

Katsu leaned closer, pressing their foreheads together briefly. He took a slow breath. Everything felt right for the first time in a long time. He had no idea how far he would be able to go. His sexual experience with other people was incredibly limited. He wasn't sure what kind of emotional reaction he might have, but he desperately didn't want them to stop.

He repeated that thought aloud. "I don't want to stop."

The Spy's hand moved down to the first button of Katsu's pajamas. "May I?"

"Yes," Katsu was happy to give him permission, to let him take charge. He knew what he enjoyed when he was by himself, but this was too new and awkward for him to feel comfortable taking the lead.

Spy kissed Medic's jaw as he unfastened each button. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the shape of Katsu's soft jawline on his lips. But he was very eager to open the shirt and see the tattoos he only had a very brief view of. Spy lifted his head as he opened the shirt up and he admired what he could see in the dark light. Plumes of smoke over black water interrupted by stark pale cherry blossom petals. His fingertips stroked his skin with admiration, "Beautiful."

Katsu tipped his head back as Spy kissed along his jawline, enjoying the buzz of pleasure even from something so small. Shrugging out of his shirt and letting it fall off the bed, Katsu flushed at Spy's assessment. He hadn't revealed his tattoos to anyone in a long time. The light touch over his skin was nearly electric. In turn, he ran a questioning hand over Spy's top, hoping to see more of the man. Not that he hadn't seen Spy naked before, but this was a far different situation.

Spy put a hand on Katsu's hand to encourage him. He couldn't remember the last time he bedded a virgin. He wasn't sure if Katsu truly was a virgin but he certainly seemed like one. Spy got up, settling into the bed on his knees, between Katsu's thighs. He removed his undershirt and dropped it away, pleased to show his young and firm body again. The Spy was a very slim man, very apparently so with most of his partners. Muscular Greg, curvy Bea, and especially Marcus. However, beside Katsu's small frame, Spy was thick and muscular by contrast.

Spy was just as Katsu remembered him, lean and muscular, fit from all the climbing he did. He truly did feel small next to the Spy, but oddly enough he had missed that feeling. Being back in Japan, he was of average height. On base, he'd been quite small compared to many of the men. Katsu ran his hands admiringly over Spy's body. He'd never gotten to touch him this way, only as his Medic. He found he loved it. Spy had more body hair than Katsu too, not that that was difficult. Seeing Spy above him, between his thighs, it sent a shiver through Katsu. He wasn't sure what he wanted, but this was getting closer.

Spy was entertaining equal flattering thoughts. He loved watching the Medic move and seeing the art on him move with him. The bold, dark, dense tattoos made the soft man look fierce, and dangerous, and maybe even rugged. But equally, it made him look beautiful, like living art. His fingers touched the hem of Katsu's trousers, brushing his stomach gently. "Do you have more tattoos down here?" Although he was excited by the idea of discovering something new about Katsu, even after so much time, he had other motives to remove Katsu's clothes.

He shook his head. "I never did get them finished," Katsu said, regretfully, but his voice was breathy with excitement. If he had stayed in Japan, as part of the yakuza, he would likely have gotten the full body irezumi, he thought they were beautiful. But the tattoos were illegal and since returning, he had no connections to find a tattoo artist. He sat up just enough to remove the rest of his clothes, flushed and naked in front of Spy.

Spy ran his palms up Katsu's thighs and hips and torso, then lowered himself onto Katsu, putting his weight carefully on the smaller man. His cock pulsed against his own trousers and prodded Katsu's thigh. Spy murmured, his breath moving the hair by Katsu's ear, "Do you have anything here for this? Something like lubricant?"

Spy's weight on top of him sent a thrill through Katsu. He swallowed hard, tentatively pressing his lips to Spy's neck. At Spy's question, he nodded, but unfortunately he'd have to get out from under Spy, and he was tempted not to move. It took him a moment to pull himself together enough to squirm out from under Spy, open the drawer of his bedside table and place a small bottle in Spy's hand.

Spy lifted up and let Katsu squirm away. He was glad he didn't go far. Although, how readily nearby Katsu had this said something about his activities here. He took the lubricant and welcomed Katsu into bed again. "You never did this before, did you." He made the question more specific, "With another man, I mean." He opened the container and slicked his fingers, "if you don't like it, tell me. We can do other things."

Knowing it was quite obvious that he kept lubricant by the bed for a reason, Katsu was determined not to be embarrassed. Spy slid back up against him and for a moment he was in heaven again, just with the solid weight of his teammate on him. Spy's line of questioning made it difficult to stick to his desire to not be embarrassed. "No," he said, honestly. "Not with another man. I- I enjoy it." That was as close as he wanted to come to admitting what he did to pleasure himself. As intimate as Spy and him were quickly becoming, that still felt awkward to mention.

Spy guided Katsu's legs apart and let his warm palms explore Katsu's young skin. One hand grasped his cock and pumped it slowly but firmly. Each deliberate stroke was like a massage, urging him to relax as his other hand dipped under him and probed his entrance. He handled Katsu carefully- not as if he was fragile but rather as if, at any moment, the virgin might change his mind. There was such a difference between pleasuring the self and being pleasured by another. Penetration that felt so easy and effortless feels so much more intense- and with the intensity of their burning emotions from reuniting, he did not want to overwhelm him. He pressed a finger inside in perfect time with a long stroke up Katsu's cock.

Katsu let out a shuddering breath as Spy stroked him, rocking his hips up into Spy’s hands. The touches were nearly overwhelming, so good and so much. Katsu was happy to lay under Spy, to allow him control, to guide them where he liked. Spy’s finger breached him and he gave a soft gasp, face flushing, hands grabbing at his sheets. It was much better than doing it himself, so much more, having the movement be out of his control. Still, he didn’t want it to stop.

Spy was relieved that when Katsu reacted it was not a sign of pain or distressed. He massaged the passage from inside and then added a second finger. He pressed them in deeper and felt Katsu's body resist the hard knuckles, but then accept them. His own cock was throbbing with need now, and when he glanced down at his own he saw moisture at the tip. Of course, he was a very patient man. In a way, waiting made the promise of pleasure seem even sweeter.

Katsu was surprisingly quiet as Spy worked him open, his breath catching in his throat. He was still used to keeping quiet. It took him some time to relax enough into Spy’s touches. Normally he was quicker to open up, but the tension between them and the emotional reactions of today were making it harder.

Spy almost commented on how quiet Katsu was, but he chose not to. He didn't want to make him self conscious. He should expect the Medic to be so quiet. Katsu was a very different person that Marcus, or Bea, and certainly Greg. But despite how quiet he was, his expressions spoke plenty. Every muscle that moved, tensed still, or twitched, in his face, his torso, his arms and legs, all described his anticipation and excitement. When the spy was able to part his fingers without too much resistance, he carefully withdrew and grasped his own cock, pumping it firmly while lining up and groaning like scratching an itch he ignored.

Katsu’s usually stoic expression betrayed his pleasure, his anticipation and need. He was breathing quickly. Feeling Spy line himself up to press into him, he wrapped his legs loosely around Spy, not wanting to pull him closer, but wanting something to hold onto. Spy looked down at him, with those piercing grey eyes. The man’s size and strength could have been intimidating but instead it was a comfort. He was safe here, with someone he trusted everything to. “Please,” his voice was soft.

Spy was glad for the verbal signal. He stilled his hand on Katsu's shaft, distracted by his own as he eased inside and felt the tight virgin body squeeze encircle him entirely. He groaned until he was fully inside, and then pumped Katsu's cock in his palm. He rocked their bodies in a rhythm-like sway. But as his cock pulsed inside him and his need grew, his rhythm became faster and more vigorous. His own excitement was apparent in his heavy breaths interrupted by pleasures moans.

Spy slid into him and Katsu was suddenly aware of how hot Spy felt in him. So different than any toy. He could feel his cock pulse, almost feel his heartbeat in him. Katsu took some time to adjust to the rhythm, unused to not being in control of it himself. His fingernails dug into his palms and he turned his head to the side, gasping, not quite able to meet Spy’s eyes. Hearing Spy moan was an aphrodisiac in itself. Katsu’s cock was leaking against his skin.

Spy knew his stare might be intimidating, but he could not look away. Despite how well he knew this man, he never saw him so unraveled, and out of control of himself. Spy was almost at his limit also. He wanted to relax, delay, and enjoy the feeling longer, but every time Katsu's body squeezed him, he leaked seed inside him.

Katsu came, arching off the bed. The heat of Spy in him felt amazing. He initially felt a thread of embarrassment at having finished so soon, but Spy was just as undone as he was. Katsu was breathless, hands unclenching from the sheets to run them over Spy’s skin. An overwhelming sense of satisfaction filled him. He’d never felt so good.

Spy's hand dipped under Katsu and moved up his spine. His palm held the back of Katsu's neck, his thumb and fingers held the base of Katsu's head, his longer fingers pressed somewhat on his neck. "Katsu, let me finish inside you?" He asked, surprised by his voice. How breathy, and excited, and deep his voice was. He waited for Katsu's answer barely, and pressed their bodies firmly together, releasing his seed into the young body beneath him, filling him with the load.

Katsu nodded, desperately, eager to feel Spy finish in him. The man’s grip on his neck sent an unexpected thrill through him and he arced off the bed once more to feel Spy’s final thrusts. He practically melted into the bed under Spy, exhausted. His hands crept around Spy’s sides to run up and down his muscular back appreciatively.

Spy collapsed on top of Katsu. A thin layer of sweat slicked between them. The hand on Katsu's neck remained tight. He was unaware of his grip on the smaller man, simply holding him close in any way. Spy was unaware of the beginning excitement Katsu had for a strong hand on his neck. But he could almost feel the pleasure pouring off of Katsu. He lost awareness of how much time passed before he finally moved off of Katsu. But he didn't move far. He rolled into his back and groaned, "that was incredible."

Spy's comforting weight settled back down against him and he sighed. It felt so right. Spy's hand tight around his neck sent a new spike of pleasure through him, but he had no energy left to act on it. He'd perhaps have to mention that next time, earlier on. As Spy pulled out of him, Katsu gave a groan. As strange as it had been, as out of control as he'd been, it had been so good. He was generally not a man who enjoyed being unable to control what was going on around him, but with Spy it had still felt safe. Spy collapsed next to him and Katsu pressed in against his side, still eager to touch, to feel Spy's skin against his own. He took a shaky breath, feeling an aftershock run through him. Suddenly he wasn't sure to say. Instead, he just nodded, agreeing with Spy's assessment. He felt overcome with a rush of gratitude. Spy had come all this way, having no way of knowing if he'd really find his Medic, and was going to bring him home. "I missed you," he murmured.

The hand on Katsu's neck held his shoulder and pulled him in close. He buried his nose into his soft, long, nearly grey-less hair. He hummed with satisfaction.

*

Spy stared at the ceiling. Fully awake. The sounds of this house were not familiar. The weight of Katsu's body beside him was not familiar. Even retired, he could not make himself relax enough to sleep until dawn. But Katsu was exhausted. There was no reason to wake the man up too early. The spy silently slipped out of the blanket and exited the room. Perhaps he could do something nice for Katsu and bring their breakfast.

He gathered his things: his coat, his bag, and his shoes. He left the small home and embarked to a busy area of town to find an open shop.

Katsu had slept deeply. It had been awhile since he’d slept with someone else so nearby, but that hadn’t seemed to matter. He was exhausted from the emotionally draining reunion yesterday and the anticipation of many more to come. When he woke, sitting up, he saw that Spy was already up. Dressing, and getting up, he found his house empty. There was nothing, no sign that there had ever been anyone else. Katsu’s immediate thought was that it’d just been a dream. At this point they had become nightmares. The team came for him. He was reunited with what amounted to his family, and upon waking he was alone again. This though, this fantasy, had been so real. Had Spy really been there? It seemed less and less likely as he thought about it. 

Katsu sat on the edge of his bed, numb, tears running down his face.

The spy was gone longer than he was proud of. It took him too much time to find a place in the unfamiliar area, and to order hot food and drinks. He wasn't sure if the food he found was truly breakfast food. It did not look like any breakfast he ever ate. 

He opened the door and shook off the cold while looking to see if Katsu was awake yet. Spy was surprised to see Katsu awake, but crying. He almost forgot to remove his shoes again. He hastily kicked them away and hurried to his friend. "Katsu, are you okay? Are you having second thoughts?" He hated to be selfish, but he wanted Katsu to come home with him. If Katsu was crying now, and considering staying... The spy wondered if he would kidnap the medic.

Katsu let out a gasp of surprise, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. Instead of explaining, he drew Spy into a tight embrace. How could he explain how many times he’d woken alone after being so sure, so hopeful...

Spy put an arm around him and pet his shoulder. It took him a moment to realize what the problem must be. It was a long time since Greg woke up so upset finding he was alone, he forgot how it might unnerve people. 

Falcon sighed gently, "Katsu, I didn't leave you. I promise, I won't ever abandon you." He squeezed his shoulder, "I could leave a note next time..."

“I’m sorry, I just- I’ve imagined this so many times and I-“ Katsu stopped. Spy understood. It wasn’t so much being abandoned as it was realizing that his team hadn’t come for him after all. “I haven’t changed my mind,” he assured him. He felt like he was finally going home.

Spy nodded, "Good. I brought food for us. We can avoid whatever they try to feed us on the airplane." Guilt weighed on Falcon. He felt responsible for this pain Katsu was in. If he checked, if he investigated, if he found Katsu, it would be easy. But he did not. He chased revenge with his team while their medic suffered like this.

Katsu took a slow breath, nodding. “Thank you,” he wiped his eyes once more, sure that they were red from crying. He’d fallen completely apart because Spy had left for a short time. He took some food and divided it up between them, embarrassed of his overreaction.

*

Katsu looked to Spy for support as they stepped up to the door of the base where the team had settled. They hadn’t told anyone anything and Katsu was starting to regret not warning them.

The spy glanced at the cameras and wondered if anyone was watching the cameras. He doubted it, though. Their only enemies are in Australia and they don't expect anyone else to make an attack on them. He pushed open the doors and put an arm around Katsu's shoulders to bring him along. 

There was some sound in the cafeteria, the gathering area of choice on most days, and Spy lead them in that direction. They approached the doors and Spy turned his head to face the sound of fast footsteps in the hallway. 

Scout was running to the cafeteria, a bag of alcohol in his arms. He nodded to Spy, "Cheerio, Falcon. What's the news-" he glanced at Katsu and turned his head while running with such violent energy that he spun his body and fell through the doors.

On his ass, the Scout sat up and lifted his goggles off his eyes to stare up at Katsu. His mouth moved, starting new sentences in a stream but unable to complete any single word.

Connagher looked up from his table in the cafeteria and dropped his beer bottle, "What in tarnation..."

Flushed, Katsu offered Barnaby a hand up. This wasn’t exactly as he’d planned things but that was usually how it went with this team. Simo was sitting with Conagher and shock was plainly written over his face. Katsu suddenly found himself at a loss for words. It was so good to see them again.

Barnaby stared at the hand and finally accepted it. He studied Katsu carefully then asked "This isn't a disguise is it?" 

Connagher shouted from his seat, "Boy if that's a disguise you better throw it out. Someone around here is likely to put your head through a wall for getting our hopes up like such." Yet both men continued to stare, hoping Katsu was real.

“It’s me. I respawned five years ago,” he was fairly sure someone was going to punch him whether he was real or not, just as Spy had. Still, he wrapped the lanky Scout in a hug, stifling tears.

"I knew it!" The Scout cheered, nearly vibrating with excitement in his arms. "I swore you were out there, doing whatever it is a Medic does when he is alone." He leaned back to look at Katsu's face, "Five years, old sport? You look like you aged more than that." 

Spy scowled. He didn't want to call any attention to how hard the years in the camp were, and how that aged him.

Katsu merely smiled, a little sadly. “I’m sorry I stayed away. At first I was worried about the yakuza,” he glossed right over the camp, “and then I didn’t know where to find you.” He was sure Barnaby was right, he had a few more silver hairs at this age than he’d had on his first go round. 

Simo shook his head in amazement, standing to go see their Medic up close.

When Simo stood, Conagher broke his daze and stood up as well. He hurried to Katsu on his own flesh and blood legs and he picked the smaller man up in a big hug. "Yee-haw!" He spun with the doctor in his arms, allowing his excitement to overwhelm him. "Lord Mercy, it really is you. Well shoot." He put Katsu down, "We could protect you from the Yakuza and every other damn thing the Administrator sent at us. But we were dang hard to find, Spy made certain of that."

Spy smiled proudly. It was something to brag about, that he made such a large team fully disappear. 

Conagher continued talking. "We're glad spy finally remembered his job is not only disappearing, his job is also finding people." Spy scoffed and rolled his eyes.

Katsu smiled, squeezing first Conagher, then Spy’s arm. “I was lucky to be found.” 

To everyone’s surprise, Simo stepped in for what may have been the quickest hug in history.

Katsu froze in surprise. Simo was not usually one for any kind of affection, let alone anything physical.

Barnaby dusted his legs and offered, "If you like, I can round up the rest of us and tell them all that you've found your way home." He grins and shrugs "That's if you don't prefer to see the looks on their faces when they see you."

“That might be safer than surprising everyone. I might get punched again,” he looked at Spy with a smile.

Connagher raised his brows "You punched our medic, spy?!" 

Spy shrugged and looked away. "It was a reasonable response at that time. He let us think he was dead!" Although right now they owed their lives to Katsu's disappearance. If he returned, the Administrator would know that their ancient respawn system was still active. Truly now, no one knew they were all alive and well.

Barnaby leaned to the door, "I'll say to greet you gently. Or as gently as those four can manage." His mustache moved , hiding a cheeky grin, "Did you respawn with those lovely brands our Bea marked us all with?"

He shook his head. He’d forgotten about that. Now it was likely he’d have to suffer them again. He turned back to Spy and Conagher, “I do understand why you hit me. I’ll be surprised if you’re the only one.”

Spy felt guilty now. Of course he did not know about the camps that kept Katsu away when he first punched the doctor. But it seemed the doctor did not want to share those dark parts of his recent history. "I won't let them." He assured. 

Conagher agreed, "yeah, if anyone forgets our medic is for us to protect, we'll set them straight."

Katsu merely shrugged. “I stayed away. They have a right to be angry.” Though he was dearly hoping Marcus wouldn’t hit him. He might go through respawn again.

Conagher pulled the man into a hug again, "Would you quit thinking of everyone else's feelings and think about yourself? We really are going to keep you safe this time"

Katsu couldn’t help but smile, squeezing back. It would be so much easier to be safe now, with the team presumed dead. As long as Marcus gave up his plans for bloody revenge. And it was so nice to see the team young and healthy. And with all their legs. Though it had occurred to him that some things they had fixed over the years would likely need to be fixed again.

*

Barnaby almost fell through the doors of the weight room, "Boss! Katsu is back! The old sport survived! He's in the cafeteria now!”

Marcus put down his weights and got up off the bench. He looked down at Barnaby with a terrible mixture of hope and anger. “You’d better not be fucking with me,” he warned, brushing past him on the way to the cafeteria.

Marcus could hear the commotion before he opened the door. He hesitated for a long moment before opening the door. There was Katsu, between Spy and Engineer, smiling that still familiar smile. Marcus said nothing, only stepped in and picked Katsu up in a tight hug. 

Katsu wrapped an arm around his neck, breathing him in. Neither of them had ever expected to see the other again. 

“Where the fuck have you been?!” Marcus finally demanded, grip tightening uncomfortably.

Spy spoke up, "Marcus... he didn't stay away by choice. America wasn't a safe place for Japanese." 

Conagher gasped quietly, remembering that now. Katsu feared a hospital would not treat him when he was stabbed. "Katsu, how did you get to Japan? It must have been hell getting anywhere without a couple of 'respectable white folk' to assure the police you ain't a spy."

Marcus finally set him back on his feet, but Katsu kept his hand on Marcus’. Spy had talked him into a bit of a corner, so he revealed a little more. “It took awhile to get away.” 

“And you didn’t think to come find us?” Marcus’ eyes were wet. 

Katsu frowned, “Of course I wanted to! I- I couldn’t find the team, and,” he grimaced, having hoped he wouldn’t have to talk about this quite yet. “I ended up in an internment camp for awhile.”

Conagher's face sunk. He stared at Katsu but struggled to imagine the man in a place like that. "No..." He didn't want to believe it. "Did you escape? Did you kick some ass and leave?"

He shook his head. There had been so little a small, unarmed man could do. 

Marcus pulled him in again. “We should’ve looked for you.”

Conagher nodded. 

Spy watched Marcus, impressed. He worried the man might be angry and need to fight someone for what happened to Katsu. He underestimated how much the small doctor calmed the heavy weapons expert. It was bizarre to see this sincere and gentle side of Marcus again.

*

Barnaby knocked heavily on the door where Bea entertained herself. He knew not to invade her privacy. "Bea! Bea, are you in, luv? Katsu is here! Alive and well, and young again! You must see it, you simply must. I hardly believed it myself!"

Bea blew out her candles before answering the door. She raised an eyebrow when she heard Barnaby’s news. “Where is he, pet?” Her and Barnaby almost always called each other with pet names. She wasn’t sure how to properly process the news yet. She didn’t believe Barnaby would lie to her, but wasn’t prepared for any of this. And it was hard to believe, just like the Scout had said.

"In the cafeteria!" He hopped back to let her go. "Spy found him in Japan! Found a needle in a haystack, that he did." He begins to jog in place "You go along. I need to find the Gregs. So don't let Katsu tell any good stories without me."

“Will do,” she responded, in a bit of a daze. Oddly, all she could think of was how this might change Marcus and his plans to get back at those who killed them. She hated to admit it, but she was tired of fighting. She had her youth back but even now part of her felt old and tired of war.

Bea jogged to the cafeteria. It was tough to move fast with the new addition of her left eye. It changed the way she saw everything and she had started to run into things again, used to overcompensating. 

She got to the cafeteria and upon seeing Katsu she dragged him into a rough hug, kissing his cheek. "You motherfucker," she said, somewhere between fondly and angrily. She punched his arm, but not terribly hard. She was pissed that he'd broken everyone's hearts and disappeared, but she was so glad to see him again. Still, she had no particularly kind words for him. She wasn't very good at them anyway.

Katsu hugged her back, enjoying what passed for affection from Bea. He stroked the left side of her face. It'd been so long since he'd seen all her skin unmarred. "I missed you too," he smiled, knowing what she meant when she swore at him.

  
  



End file.
